What Springtime Looks Like Inside The New York Park That's Only Accessible By Key

Gramercy Park, the gated oasis Manhattan's east side, is one of the most exclusive green spaces in the city: Only people who live in one of the 39 townhouses or buildings surrounding the park can access the keys that unlock the wrought iron gates.

It also has a famously stringent set or rules. Commercial photography and video has been banned inside the park for years.

But the Gramercy Park Block Association just released photos shot by local photographers inside the gates this spring, and park trustee Arlene Harrison, the unofficial "mayor" of Gramercy Park, gave us permission to share them.

It's hard to believe that the neighborhood surrounding Gramercy Park was once a swamp.

The block has been fenced in since the 1830s.

There's a laundry list of rules: Visitors may only bring in six guests at a time, and no one is allowed on the grass—even kids. Alcohol, furniture, and most sports equipment are banned, as are dogs and music.